In the present specification by hard material is understood a compound, namely a carbide, oxide, oxycarbide, but in particular a nitride, nitrocarbide, oxynitride or nitrooxycarbide, of at least two of the metallic elements listed in the following, in particular of Ti and Al. By metallic elements are understood Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W and Al.
If within the scope of the present application reference is made to a change of the composition of the hard material layer material in the active edge region, by that is understood a difference of at least 2 at % of a hard material layer metal component between a hard material layer in the active edge region and a hard material layer in the remaining regions of the tool.
Analogously, no change exists if the stated difference is less than 2 at %, in particular less than 1 at %.
By machining cross section f a.sub.p is understood the product "Vorschub x Schnitttiefe" {Advance x cutting depth} according to DIN 6580, Section 11.1.1, "Bewegungen und Geometrie des Zerspanungsvorgang" [Motions and Geometry of the Machining Process] (DN 6580, October 1985).
DE 38 25 399 as well as EP 0 352 545 disclose coating tools by means of a vacuum process with a layer of hard material, and therein especially with a (Ti,Al)N hard material layer. The coating takes place such that in the active edge region, i.e. in the region of the cutting edges, the hard material layer material has a changed composition compared with that on the remaining tool regions: according to DE 38 25 399 as well as EP 0 352 545 at the active edge regions of drills a thinning out of the aluminum is realized which is distinguishable on the tools by the reddish or yellowish coloration of these regions. Thinning-out ratios of 5 at % or 2 percent by mass of the Al are declared.